Democrats Decline to Take Up Unfinished Spending Bills

By CARL HULSE

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 — Congressional Democrats said Monday that they would not try to finish multiple spending bills left hanging by the departed Republican majority. Instead, they want to keep most government agencies operating under their current budgets until next fall.

In a joint statement, the incoming Democratic chairmen of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees said the urgency of new business and the administration’s next spending request for the war in Iraq gave them little choice but to abandon efforts to pass the overdue bills.

“While the results will be far from ideal, this path provides the best way to dispose of the unfinished business quickly and allow governors, state and local officials, and families to finally plan for the coming year with some knowledge of what the federal government is funding,” said the statement from the chairmen, Senator Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia and Representative David R. Obey of Wisconsin.

The Republican-led 109th Congress, which adjourned early Saturday, completed only 2 of 11 spending bills due Oct. 1. This was because of a variety of reasons, including Republican divisions over spending levels and a desire by the party leadership to spare lawmakers from tough votes before the Nov. 7 election.

Except for the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security, the government is being financed under a stopgap “continuing resolution” signed early Saturday by President Bush. It expires Feb. 15, and Democrats said they planned to extend a similar resolution through Sept. 30.

Read more on the federal budget at the New York Times.com